“Yes, yes; but what are his intentions?” “We shall see presently.” Not considering it necessary to discuss with the justice, L’Ours now turned to Bruno, and putting his hand on the latter’s shoulder, said: “Do you pretend that you killed the gamekeeper?” “Yes; it was I,” replied Bruno, this time less resolutely. “Well, my boy, you are lying--that is all.” “Jean! Leave me!” gasped Bruno. “No, I will not leave you.” Then to the officers he added: “Messieurs, it will be worth your while to listen to me.” “Gendarmes, we must enforce the law.” L’Ours cast upon the young magistrate a look of contempt, but the gendarmes came forward. “Ah, pardon me! You refuse, then. Very well.” And he assumed a fearlessly defensive attitude. “But no!” he exclaimed, an instant afterward. “You represent justice. Then _be_ just. Your duty is to listen. If you refuse to do so, there is no justice in you.” “Jean,” interrupted Bruno, “I pray you, be silent.” “Anything but that, my son. You must hear me speak. I ask only five minutes.” Bruno did not know what Jean meant to say, but he shared in the belief that Jean would save him in spite of himself. He feared that Jean would throw all the responsibility of the crime on Catherine’s shoulders. “Bruno pretends that he assassinated Monsieur Barrau last night,” pursued Jean Manant. “Yes, yes,” broke in Bruno, testily. “Well, then let him reply to three questions that I shall put. At what hour did he commit the crime?” “At five o’clock in the morning.” “Very well. With what weapon?” “With my gun, Monsieur.” “Very well. In what part of the wood?” At this question Bruno hesitated. He but vaguely knew from hearsay the spot where Savin had fallen. But, as we have seen, neither he nor any one else but Andoche could have said positively where the crime had been committed. Bruno, who had supposed that merely his confession would be sufficient, did not know at first what to reply. But he did not dare to hesitate long. “About two hundred feet from here,” he said, with affected calmness. “You must lead us to the spot.” “Quite true,” assented the magistrate. “Yes, you must conduct us there.” The officers had not bothered about going to the spot because the dying man had been found on his own doorsteps. And in this respect they had erred. Everybody at first had regarded Firmin as the assassin, but after Bruno’s confession they concluded that they must have been mistaken. Jean’s questions, however, again shifted the evidence from Bruno to Firmin. Among a few the suspicion occurred that L’Ours had asked Bruno to point out the place in the wood in order to save him. Once in the depths of the forest, he might easily find means to free Bruno from his captors and hide him in safety.